Inspired By The Soul Lounge!!! My THANK YOU's When you do what you love for “work” good people – It isn’t really work! AND this past Saturday night The Soul Lounge Chicago confirmed that very fact! I would like to THANK all of the great and beautiful people that came out to celebrate this soul music event celebration!!! I feel so connected with you all and so blessed to have shared such a moment with you! You all were so warm and filled with energy! THE HOUSE WAS PACKED with more than 400 people and Everyone Had Such Positive GREAT Energy!!! There were moments on stage where I looked out on to the audience and I just Thanked GOD for all of the fruit of the labor put on that moment! Not only were we celebrating Love and Life, But we were celebrating a rich history and culture of Blackness through Music!!!. My THANK YOU’s Extend Across The Soul Lounge Chicago Stage from that night for miles. My First THANK YOU Goes To Our Official Host the “EDWARDS COMMUNICATIONS GROUP!” “Rick Edwards” Truly you and your team were so supportive of our vision and movement and I cannot thank you enough for being concrete to our soulful musical efforts. Your help and investment helped us create an evening that none of us will ever forget! Our Official News Media Sponsor: Toure Muhammad of BST Media Group. Thank you for your insight innovative reach to the masses, bringing more awareness to this event! The night included a celebration of the next generation of talent to come with new upcoming vocalist Cheynise Carter and the young power poet Winston Jones! The talent they shared with us was spirited, powerful and undeniably REAL! I believe it is safe to say that they stole our hearts!!! Our Host and Guest Performer “J. IVY” Known as HIP HOP’s FAVORITE POET, was Excellent, Witty & Funny in many moments and Intensely Passionate in his delivery of the Power Poetry that he brought with him! Every time I hear you I am inspired to be a better person and artist! Thank YOU! Our Guest Stage Artist/Painter “SLANG” is a Walking Living Legend that Graced us with an Historic Live Painting Canvas Before our eyes! His talent exceeds limits in the visual world and inspires a new generation over and over again! Please Google HIM and See why you just witnessed more history. His Story is Beautiful and still growing!!! My next THANK YOU goes to the Forever Talented Comedian & Radio Personality My Brotha! “LEON ROGERS!” The laughter he brought into the house hit home in a very real and raw way! Thank You Leon! Your spirit is intoxicating and healing! In Thanking our amazing Creative Production Team I want to first Give a HUGE THANK YOU TO The BAND “ZZAJE” Without a Doubt - You Rock Every Stage you touch! Not only are you all beyond talented musically But you bring a special magic and synergy to every note, transition and change. I would also like to send a big bear hug to The DuSable Museum Team – Tracy Williams, Lionel Slaughter, Glen & Bobby! Our hospitality crew: Jackie Muhammad, David & Patricia Nalls, Kesha Donelson, Katrina Perkins, Jewel Jones, Tina Jackie Elliston, David & Patrick Nalls, Courtney Edwards, Tiffany Stanford, Brian Lamar, Mike London, Sergio Richardson, Jasmine, Adrian and Taracita of Melon Express, Shanae Baines, Florence Green, Anthony & Terri Jones, Shawn Lee, Tawana Smith, Cleo & Julia Jamison, Pamela Richardson, Lacy G, Jay King, Ronald Alexander, Ladonya Watson, Allen Archer, The Sharkey’s, The Whiteheads, Shanesha Porter, Juan & Nikki Martin, Lynna Hollis, LaShawn Walker, Meridith McKinney, Dorothy Myles, Lite House Grill, Yesterday’s Jazz Barber Shop, Al & Darya Johnson, Edward Green, Linda Poole! Tammie Duncan, Gee & Byrdie, The Alexanders, Kathleen Wallace – Irby, Jackie Carter, Cynthia Barron, Johnathan Woods Fuzzy Lyn, Chad & Sylvia Jordan, Christine Wallace, Twone & Teefa and Dana Hughes!!!! With out you all NONE of this could have happened. My Soul is grateful to have so many wonderful supporters, friends and family! Thank You to Karen Thomas, Cheryl Johnson, Arles & Audrey Jones & Saudia Davis of The Smarty Pants Initiative. My heart is full and happy to have shared this moment with you! Thank you for gifting me and remembering me in your thoughts as you have!!! I Thank You FROM The BOTTOM Of My HEART!!! You are are gifts from God!!! I appreciate you in a GIGANTIC WAY and look forward to many more musical moments with you!!! Last BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST! I want to circle back and THANK my Mom for designing yet another original dress by hand. Your passion for sewing and design have always inspired me! You are truly the best at what you do!!! More So A HUGE WARM HUG of APPRECIATION To EVERYONE That Love’s Music and Shares This Moment With me! Thank you for the claps, the cheers, the sing along moments and the STANDING O’s! I am Humbled by you and your concretely auspicious energy! I am standing on ROCK Foundation with you by my side! When you attend my shows, buy my cd’s, books and t’shirts I am reminded of the purest reason why I do what I do! “YOU!” Please don’t ever stop rocking with me! I don’t want to do this without you! With all that said – please go to my website and remember to sign the mailing list, buy tickets to shows, new music, books & cd’s, subscribe and read the blog when it updates to help me pass the word to others about our music and message! We are all connected and I love you all with the intent of God’s grace always! See you sooner than later at the next Soul Lounge Chicago Event!!!!!

100 Years Of Womanhood & Service

A source of growth and inspiration for me has been through my affiliation and membership in the greatest organization known to Collegiate Black Women - Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. It was founded on January 13, 1913 and Reached it's 100th Year This Sunday January 13, 2013. I joined the Eta Alpha Chapter in 1994 at Mississippi Valley State University and served as the 'community service chairman' for 3 years and volunteered. My first time singing was in our first competition to raise money in 1994. It was the first time I had ever sang in public for that many people. There were about 2500 people in attendance. It changed my life and how I wanted to affect the world. The soror who invited me to sing in that show was named Stephanie Davidson. God Bless Them All! I am renewed in my commitment to the mission and the message of this beautiful group of women!

Real Power! Real People!

This week I had an unusual experience with "power." A guy I met who was charged with some responsibility for a show I performed in truly misused it. He was so absorbed in proving that he was in charge that he missed having a great night and messed it up for some other people too. He was the truest essence of "crazy" that I have seen in a while. Now I was not directly effected by it per say but I did witness it and I did feel the energy that it created. It's almost the equivalent of "The Crab In The Barrel" syndrome. The gentleman in question was obviously having a bad day, so he made it where he could pull everyone else into it with him. There was no way he was going to watch other people have a good day if he wasn't. Maybe we can even compare it to the "Misery Love's Company" saying. He was truly miserable. Now without too much judgement (because judging anyone is wrong) I'll say that maybe something terrible was happening in his life that he couldn't express so he used other ways to push the horrible feelings out. My conversation with him was great on the first night of the show series, but 'OH MY' on the second night something shifted like a horror movie. I made it my business to stand back and observe. No conversation was needed. My silence allowed me to avoid most of the misery that others had to absorb. My performance was great and I did have some fun but the workmanship of the production/sound was intensely effected. The two nights were night and day. I heard everyone backstage complaining about the same guy. Off The Chain!!! Here is why I chose to talk about Power! This guy was in charge and used his power all wrong!

The element of power in the wrong hands is an injustice ready to be made! I am sure that we all have had some form of power because no one is powerless! But I do believe that we forget about it sometimes and it either gets ignored and we lay dormant while life passes us by or we misuse it and it effects the day and people around us. It's a loaded gun and anyone not prepared to handle it will be shot with it. I watched it that night and it was a big reminder to be careful with POWER. THERE IS WEAKNESS IN POWER THAT IS MISUSED!!! Power should only be used to help and make life better. It should be used to help keep order and to teach. It should never be used to abuse people and situations or used to simply PROVE that You are in Charge! That is boring and inconvenient! Power has nothing to do with money or position! It is all about your character. Let's wake up and use our powers in the right way. Let's let God guide that misile and land it safely to bless people with good things and results. The use of power thru God is the only way real power works! Don't just boss people around. Listen to people and hear their needs and apply your resources to help them do a great job and secure the needed items or elements for that to happen. I believe that when you listen to your heart that you are really listening to God from the inside! Power has Nothing To Do with You.

If you feel negativity while you are in charge of something, please step back and take a self evaluation before handling situations and moments. Take deep breathes and drink water. Assess the details and put God in your intention. Let's deal with the real reasons why we respond in certain ways and find another way to do it if it does not carry the right intentions! No yelling, arguing and proving points is necessary. We don't have to always prove that our gun is bigger. State the facts and stick to the rules, but at times remember that we should bend the rules without negative action to create positive results. I am not saying break the rules, but I am saying if you are the only one who can change them and no one's safety is in question then Bend Them! You have to know why you are doing any thing at all times if you are in charge of something. It is your Responsibility to find Real Power in everything. No one can remind you of that. So lets begin to set new habits because at some point I think we may have all had some mis-dealings and misuses of power. I believe that in this moment lets commit to REAL POWER! We all deserve to live with power in the right way. If you walk away from a situation that was in your charge and it wasn't a good experience... the only person that you can blame is yourself! I hope this helps!

God Bless You!

Forgiveness!

"Also, I am sure that no one could deny the truth in this statement... I do believe that forgiveness is measured thru the eye of the beholder! If a person truly believes that if he or she just says that they forgive something or someone then they believe that they have passed the "forgiveness test..." Truly I believe that the task may be in redefining how we view the act of forgiving... What do you think?" Written By Tarrey Torae - on 9/9/09

Forgiveness is the act of Freeing Yourself from the chains of Transgression! Let Go and Let God! You are the only person that you have control over. Get over it what ever it is and Live your life free of Grudge!

I know that it is easier said than done but it is imperative that we grow. In my mind not forgiving something or someone is like growing up but keeping on the same pants you wore in the 5th grade except they are way too tight and flooded around your ankles in a painful way. Change cannot come without "Forgiveness." The lessons from pain or hurt are way to valuable to wish away. You can decide what type of person you become once it is over. Love your enemies even when they are Knuckle Heads! Love your Haters even when it is uncomfortable and Love the unkind people of the world because something made them that way! Love is probably the only thing that can fix it.

Mind the Gap! - Crimes and Acts of Terrible Intent Should be Measured Carefully and Everyone should stay in there Safety Zone! Forgiveness never means Vulnerability and Blind Acceptance! I believe that it can only be at it's truest form when all Rose Colored Glasses are Removed! Apologies are overrated without action but we cannot operate on terms of punishment to soothe our broken hearts. The cosmetic surgery of it all is only a temporary fix and should never be mistaken for true Forgiveness. I am sure that I cannot touch all of the elements here but I hope that this thought helps to make your day and life better going forward! God Bless You!

Thought For The Day!

"The person who does not believe it can be done should not interrupt the person doing it!" Old Chinese Proverb

Welcome to My Inspirations Page!

Thank you for visiting my Website and My Inspirations Blog Page. I will be sure to share my inspiration as it comes my way. Today, Let me Remind You That You Don't need Anyone's Permission To Be Great! If you are looking for a door of opportunity and don't see one... Take a Permanent Marker and Draw one On the Wall and Cut the Door Out! Make a Way where there is None. Don't forget to Inspire Those Around You to be Something and Someone Greater! Never Settle For Less! God Bless! Click the "join this site" button on the right and be sure to share the messages!